Single-delivery match-safe.



L. BLAKE.

SINGLE DELIVERY MATCH SAFE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. I9II.

31.2.6,31'?. f Patent-@d1une 4,1913.

QWUWIM LII-mula E11 5K5 rrrenj l LINCOLN BLAKE, OF I-IAYWARD,CALIFORNIA.

SNGLE-DELIVERY MATCH-SAFE.

Application led February 24, 1917.

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, LINCOLN BLAKE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Hayward, in the county of Alameda and State of California,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Single-DeliveryMatch-Safes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to receptacles, particularly adapted tocontain matches, cigarettes, cigars, and vother elongated objects.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle of thisnature .with means for feeding the articles one at a time, to a deliveryopening, and for retaining the remaining objects in the receptacle fromview and to protect the same during the removal of the single exposedobject.

An important feature of the present invention is to provide a match caseof this character which may be constructed economically from sheetmetal, and which comprises but relatively few parts adapted to bequickly and easily assembled. The invention'also aims at the provisionof such a structure from sheet metal or the like which is relativelystrong and the parts of which are so formed that when assembled theywill positively operate and will not bind either against each other orupon the articles or objects contained within the receptacle.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide areceptacle which is open at one end and into which matches or the likemay be inserted in bulk, and to provide a cap or cover which may bequickly positioned over the open end of the box to inclose the articlesand which subsequently may be operated to open the cap or coversuliiciently to expose the articles one at a time at one corner or edgeof the box.l

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill be brought out more fully 4in the following detailed description ofthe present preferred embodiment, the same vbeing illustrated in theaccompanying drawing wherein: p

Figure l is a perspective view of a receptacle constructed accordin tothe present invention and having a num er of matches therein, the cap ofthe receptacle being disclosed as fully open to fill the box with thematches in bulk.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPaJtentedl June 4t, MMS.

Serial No. 150,710.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same with the cap open to permit thewithdrawal of the matches one at a time only, and to protect and housethe remaining matches.

l? ig. l is a longitudinal sectional view taken transversely through thereceptacle with the cap fully closed.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the box or receptacle fully open, havingthe rear nortion thereof in section, and being tilted to feed thematches into the outlet.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the cap or cover.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the collar or sliding member,showing a slightly modified form of connecting pin.

Referring to this drawing, `wherein like parts are designated by similarnumerals of reference throughout the several views, l0 designates thebody of the receptacle or box which is relatively deep to receivematches o-r the like on end, and is preferably relatively flat. |lheopposite edges and the bottom of the box are closed, while the top isleft open for the introduction of the matches in bulk. The upper cornerof the box, which may be termed the forward upper corner thereof, isbroken away, and is closed by a diagonally extending wall l1 to providea recess at said corner of the box adapted to receive therein the thumband rst finger for withdrawing matches as hereinafter set forth.

The wall ll terminates in the plane of the upper edge of the box and islongitudinally slotted to receive the matches one at a time therethroughwhen the box is tilted with its front edge downwardly. Opposed flanges12 extend upwardly from the opposite sides of the slot and forminclosing guides for the upper ends of the matches as the same are fedforwardly through the slot. llhe flanges l2 are recessed or cut away attheir forward edges sufliciently to expose the upper extremity of theoutermost match, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The wall ll. with theflanges l2 constitutes the outlet of the receptacle, and the wall 1l, atits upper portion is curved gradually from the sides of the box to theinner edges of the flanges 12. The wall ll thus form opposed inclinedportions against which the matches rest, and over which the same maygravitate toward the flanges l2.

In the opposite sides of the box 10, and adjacent to the rear edgethereof, is formed a pair of registering vertically extending slots 13which extend from a point adjacent to the upper edge of the box to apoint in a plane below the bottom of the wall 11. A cap 14 is employedfor closing the upper end or' the box 10, and is in the form of a singlesheet of metal which is b ent into substantially U-shapc incross-section and adapted to slidably engage over the top of l0 the boxand to slide longitudinally thereon.

The top ol the cap 14 is flat, and is ot sul-hcient length to closecompletely the outlet at the front of the box when the cap is closed.Thus, when one of the matches is 15 exposed through the recesses in theflanges 12, the cap 14 engages the upper extremity of the match andprevents the accidental displacement thereotl from the receptacle. Thecap 14 is retained in position and guided in its longitudinal slidingmovement by means ot interlocking beads 15 and 16 pressed outwardly fromthe opposite sides of the box 10 and the top ot the `flanges 17 of thecap. The flanges 17 of the cap are 2 5 provided at their rear and bottomedges with a pair of registering elongated slots 18. The rear edges ofthe flanges 17 are inclined downwardly and forwardly and the slots 18are correspondingly inclined for a purpose 3e which will hereinafterappear.

Encircling the receptacle 10 is a sleeve or slide member 19 which is ofa width substantially equal to the depth of the flanges 17, and which tsomewhat loosely about the receptacle 10 to receive therebetween theflanges 17 The sleeve 19 is provided at its opposite sides with outwarcly pressed or bulged projections 2O for engagement with the fingers toaliord a firm gripping of the sleeve to force the same upwardly anddownwardly upon the body 10. The sleeve 19 is also provided adjacent toits lower edge and in its opposite sides7 with openings 21 adapted toreceive therein the outwardly pressed studs 22 `formed in the oppositesides of the body 10.

For the purpose of connecting the sleeve 19 to the cap 14, andconnecting both the sleeve and the cap to the receptacle 10, a

5o pin 23 is employed. The pin 23 is secured. to the upper rear cornersof the sleeve 19 and extends transversely through the slots 18 ot thecap lianges 17, and through the vertically disposed slots 13 of thebody. The

cap 14 is held from vertical movement with the sleeve 19 by means ot'the interlocking means 15 and 16, and the sleeve 19 is permitted avertical movement only when the pin 23 registers with the inclined rearportions or the slots 18. The studs 22 are so positioned in the sides o1the body 10 that they engage in the openings 21 when the sleeve 19 ismoved downwardly into a position to hold the pin 23 in the rear ends ofthe slots 18 a distance above the horizontal portions of the slots sothat the pin 23 is not permitted to catch in the horizontal portions ofthe slots and thus bind, the parts from operation upon the subsequentraising of the sleeve 19. In order to fully open the box into theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is necessary to torce the sleeve 19downward over the studs 22, forcing the latter out of the openings 21.When in this position, the cap 14 may be slid rearwardly to uncover thetop of the box. This operation, however, is required only when it isdesired to introduce the matches in bulk into the box, or to empty thecontents of the box.

In'Fig. 7 there is disclosed a slight modiiication in the form ofconnecting and guid ing pin. Tn this instance the pin is disclosed as inthe form of a pair of opposed sections 23EL which project inwardlytoward each other from the rear upper corners of the sleeve 19. The pinsections 23a project through the slots 18 of the cover anges 17, andthrough the slots 13 of the body 10. The inner ends of the pin sections2L are headed, as at 24, for engagement against the inner 9o oppositesides or inner walls of the receptacle 10. Thus, in both instances thepin 23 secures the sleeve 19 to the body of the receptacle 10 and at thesame time secures the cap 14 tol the body and operates the cap to 95open and close it.

In operation, when the body 10 is provided with a number of matches asshown in Fig. 1, and the cap 14 is closed as shown in Fig. 4, theforward edge of the cap covers the outlet 1e opening between the iianges12 and prevents the accidental falling out oit matches or the like whichare contained in the body.` To obtain a match from the receptacle, it isonly necessary to tilt the receptacle with the forward edge thereofdownwardly into substantially the position shown in Fig. `5, when thematches ride over the inclined portions of the wall 11 and fall in asingle line between the'flanges 12. The outermost match 110 extendsbeyond the forward edges of the flanges 12 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.The sleeve 19 is now drawn downwardly upon the body 10, such movementdrawing the pin 23 downwardly in the slots 13 of the 115 body and in theinclined slots 18 of the cap flanges 17. The pin 23 working in the slots18 slides the cap 14 rearwardly to a slight extentv sufficient touncover the upper extremities of one or two matches. The stud l2@ 22 nowstrikes the lower edge of the sleeve 19and holds the parts in thisadjusted po- Sitlon as shown in Fig. 3. The operator may now catch theupper'. end of the match by placing the thumb and first finger upon theopposite sides of the wall 11 and against the gopposite sides of the-[langes 12. As soon as the desired match is drawn, the sleeve 19 may beagain forced upwardly into'the position shown in Fig. 4 and the pin 23is 130 moved upwardly in the inclined portions of the slots 18 to forcethe cap 14 forwardly' and to again cover the outlet of the box.

A bridge-piece 25 is secured across the space between the flanges 12 toengage the second and third matches and hold the same from displacementwith the first match when the cover 14 is retracted. The outlet openingthrough which the first match projects may be of suficient size toexpose not only the rst match but also part of the second match to admitthe ready grasping of the first match. The bridge-piece 25 engages thetop of the second match sufficiently to hold it from removal.

lf desired, the box 10 may be provided at its forward edge andimmediately beneath the collar 19 with a roughened or knurled surface25EL which affords a ready means for striking the match withoutoverturning or otherwise adjusting the box 10 in the hand.

It is of course understood that various changes and modiiications may bemade in the details of construction of the above specifically describedmatch case without departing from the spirit of this invention, andbeing restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim: f

1. A match box comprising a body adapted to receive a plurality ofmatches and hav ing a restricted outlet corner adapted to receive thematches one at a time, a cap slidably fitting over the end of the boxand adapted to normally cover said outlet corner, and a slide mountedexteriorly on said body and having connection with the cap to actuatethe same for uncovering said outlet corner and releasing a match uponmovement of the slide.

2. In a match box, the combination of a body provided with an open topand having a restricted outlet corner at its forward edge, a capslidably fitting over said open top of the box and adapted to normallyclose said outlet corner, a sleeve surrounding said box and adapted toslide toward and from the open end thereof, and a connecting pinengaging said sleeve, said cap and the body to secure the same inassembled relation,

said cap and body having inclined and vertical guideways respectivelyfor said pin to actuate said cap upon the sliding of the sleeve foruncovering said outlet corner to enablexthe removal of the matches oneat a time.

l3. ln a match box, the combination of a relatively flat, deep bodyadapted to receive a plurality of matches therein and provided with adiagonally extending slotted wall at its upper forward corner adapted toreceive therein said matches in a single line, a cap lslidably fittingover the upper open end of the box and adapted to normally overhang saidslot, a sleeve slidably being longitudinally slotted for the receptionof matches therein in a single row and provided with upstanding flangesat the opposite sides of the slot to guide and inelose the matches, saidflanges being cut away at their forward edges to expose the outermostmatch, a U-shaped cap fitting over the open end of the box and providedwith diagonally extending slots in its opposed flanges, a sleeveslidably mounted on said body, and a pin carried by said sleeve andengaging in said inclined slots of the cap whereby vertical movement ofthe sleeve is adapted to slide said cap back and forth upon the open endof the body to alternately expose and close in said outermost match.

5. ln a match box, the combination of a hollow body open at its upperend and adapted to receive a plurality of matches therein, said bodybeing provided at its upper forward corner with a restricted passageadapted to receive the matches in a single row and having a recess atthe outer end of said passage to expose the outermost match, a capslidably mounted upon the open top of the box and having inclined slotsin its opposite sides, said body being provided with vertical slotsadapted to register with said inclined slots, a sleeve slidably mountedupon said body, and a pin extending transversely across the sleeve forengagement through the inclined and vertical slots of the cap and thebody to hold the parts in assembled relation and to reciprocate said capupon the end of the box by the movement of the collar.

6. In a match box, the combination of a hollow body open at its upperend and adapted to receive a plurality of matches therein, a restrictedoutlet at the upper forward corner of the body adapted to receive thematches one at a time, a cap slidably mounted upon the upper open end ofthe body, interlocking means between the cap and the body for retainingthe cap for longitudinal sliding movement on the body, a sleevesurrounding the body and adapted to move vertically thereon, and aconnection between said sleeve and said cap for longitudinally slidingthe latter upon the movement of said sleeve to uncover said outlet.

7. In a match box, the combination of a relatively flat body adapted toreceive a plurality of matches therein and having an out let opening atits upper forward corner adapted to receive the matches one at a time,

a sleeve slidably mounted upon the body and adapted for verticalmovement thereon, a cap covering the Open top of said body and adaptedto slide longitudinally thereon to partly uncover said outlet openingand eX- pose the outermost match, a connection between said sleeve andsaid cap for actuating the latter upon the movement of the sleeve, andguiding means on the body for engagement with the cap to prevent theupward displacement thereof and to limit said sleeve in its slidingmovement. l

8. In a match boX, the combination of a hollov7 body having an open topand contracted lflanges at one `corner of the top to receive matches ina single line, said flanges being interrupted at their outer ends to eX-pose the first match, a bridgepiece arranged between the upper edges oi:the flanges for housing and retaining several of the succeeding matches,a cover slidably mounted on the body to normally cover all of saidmatches, and means on the body for moving the cover to expose said firstmatch.

LINCOLN BLAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve `cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner `o1? Patents, Washington, IIL-C.

